Bovine Tapeworm - Symptoms And Treatment Of Bovine Tapeworm In Humans, Doctor's Advice

2023 Author: Riley Dean | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 12:07

Last updated 18 April 2019 at 19:57

Reading time: 5 min

Bovine tapeworm is a tape parasitic worm that lives in the human body. The medical term for the disease is Teriarinhoz, the Latin term is Taenia saginata. After the larva has entered a favorable environment for it, like most other parasites, the bovine tapeworm actively parasitizes, causing significant harm to the human body. The result of the actions of such a worm is a tangible decrease in the active state of a person, health and a violation of the protective functions of the immune system.

Before entering the human body, the parasite begins its life cycle in the body of cattle. Here, for now, the larvae of the bovine tapeworm grow and reproduce. Infection of a person is preceded by insufficient heat treatment of animal meat. In addition to simply being in the human body, this parasite is actively growing and multiplying rapidly, causing significant harm to its "home". Due to the fact that the tapeworm feeds exclusively on previously processed substances, it is an exemplary indicator of parasites.

The size of the worm can reach a length of up to twelve meters, thereby filling the entire small intestine in which it managed to take root. The largest known size of a worm ever recorded is about twenty meters in length. Most often, cases of infection with this helminth are recorded in the countries of Latin America, Africa, as well as Eastern Europe.

An interesting fact is that after the worm has entered the human body for the first few months, no symptoms will show it. This period can be called - the period of justification. Having found a basis, the helminth actively reproduces, laying the larvae, using all its possible potential.

Content

• 1 What is bovine tapeworm?
• 2 How does the bovine tapeworm work?
• 3 The development process of the bull tapeworm
• 4 What is the danger of a bovine tapeworm for humans?
• 5 Symptoms
• 6 Diagnostics of the bovine tapeworm

• 7 How to treat bovine tapeworm?

  7.1 Similar articles

What is bovine tapeworm?

The body structure of a mature worm consists of a head (scolex), a small neck and a long tapered tail. There are powerful suction cups on the head, thanks to which the worm clings to the walls of the small intestine, allowing it to be inside the body as much as possible, growing its body in length.

An average worm grows up to 4-12 meters, its thickness is several millimeters and a width of about 5-7 millimeters. Due to the flat shape of the body, the worm absorbs the maximum possible amount of useful elements over its entire surface.

Without applying any forces, the helminth exists only thanks to the work of the human body. After all, the bovine tapeworm does not have a mouth, respectively, there is no digestive system, as well as the anus. All nutrients, so necessary for life (namely, complex saccharides), are absorbed through the walls of the worm's body.

Bull tapeworm development process

The life of a bull tapeworm can be roughly divided into five stages:

1. together with feces, the formed parasite larvae leave the human body into the outside world;
2. in the external environment, they live from several hours to several days. Once in the animal's body, the larvae live until they "return" back to the human body;
3. in the stomach of the animal, the shell of the larvae is destroyed, and then it spreads throughout the body. Together with the blood, the parasite reaches all organs, penetrating even into muscle tissue;
4. to infect a person, it is enough just to eat the meat of affected livestock, which has not been sufficiently heat treated;
5. then the worm develops, grows and multiplies, laying eggs. And after a year, the parasite already has an impressive size, reaching about five meters.

What is the danger of a bovine tapeworm for humans?

Parasites in the body, including bovine tapeworm, feed on exceptionally useful elements, thereby preventing the human body from receiving the necessary nutrients. This leads to a weakening of the immune system and leads to damage by viral and infectious diseases. In addition, the worm interferes with the normal functioning of some organs, which affects the general metabolism.

Why is such an unwanted guest dangerous?

1. the presence of several worms is fraught with intestinal obstruction;
2. possible allergic reactions or poisoning;
3. gastrointestinal diseases such as dysbiosis, cholecystitis, abscesses, appendicitis;
4. an increase in the likelihood of Alzheimer's disease;
5. frequent illnesses with acute respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, flu;
6. there is a high probability of the disease spilling over into a chronic disease.

The danger of damage to the body by this parasite is quite large, so you need to be extremely careful to avoid "encounters" with the bovine tapeworm.

Symptoms

After assimilation in the small intestine, the presence of the worm can be identified by the following primary symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• sudden and unexplained weight loss;
• unusual and unreasonable headache;
• itching in the anal area;
• weakness of the body;
• gastrointestinal problems, constipation, diarrhea;
• bleeding from the nose;
• stomach ache;
• the occurrence of problems of the nervous system.

There are cases when the patient learns about the problem only when the worm or its particle (proglottid), causing itching or tickling, crawls along the legs in the thigh area. The parasite is also detected after emptying, when a person notices it in his own feces.

Diagnostics of the bovine tapeworm

In the human body, the larvae of this parasite are extremely difficult to detect. It is much easier to diagnose an infection when an individual is ripe for reproduction.

Using special equipment, the doctor can carry out the necessary diagnostics of the entire gastrointestinal tract. In addition to hardware diagnostics, laboratory tests of blood and feces are also carried out.

1. the doctor must first of all find out the cause of the change in the state of the body;
2. in the feces, there is a high probability of finding larvae or particles of the worm;
3. it is also likely that a scraping will be made from the walls of the rectum, on which the eggs of the parasite may be located;
4. a blood test will help detect a decrease in the number of white blood cells or signs of anemia;
5. perhaps the doctor will also prescribe a study of stomach juice. An acidity disorder is also a sign of the presence of a parasite;
6. in some cases, fluoroscopy is done to see if the worm is present. In the picture, it is visible as a light strip, several millimeters wide.

How to treat bovine tapeworm?

Today there are a large number of drugs aimed at removing parasites from the body. In the fight against bovine tapeworm, they are often prescribed:

1. Fenasal - as a fixed asset;
2. Biltricide - as an aid;
3. sometimes medications including fern root or pumpkin seeds are included in treatment.

On the eve of the start of treatment and throughout the entire period of the fight against the parasite, a diet should be strictly observed:

1. refusal of sweet and salty foods. Also exclude fried, smoked and fatty foods;
2. the basic diet should consist of rice and buckwheat porridge, fish and dairy products. Non-fatty soups and broths are also allowed;
3. tea, compote are allowed from drinks;
4. It is strictly forbidden to consume alcohol, a number of fruits and berries, coffee, as well as legumes.

For a speedy recovery, enemas can be prescribed.